The Co-op Group has become the first food retailer to win a leading award at the Global Sustainability Film Awards (GSFA).
Organised by tve, an environmental media charity in association with Fastflow Group, the GSFA is an annual film competition for companies and institutions, recognising the CSR films that most powerfully portray solutions for sustainability.
At the awards ceremony, held at BAFTA in London, the Group won the Transforming Society Award for its film Great Things Happen When We Work Together.
It shows how the retailer is helping Argentinian Fairtrade wine producers transform the infrastructure and quality of life in their village.
Over the past 10 years, the Group’s customers and members have helped transform the community of Tilimuqui, Argentina. Work started with a clean water supply for the village, followed by a secondary school in 2010. A hospital will open in four years’ time, creating jobs and bringing accessible healthcare to more than 10,000 people.
Helen Carroll, director of brand at the Group, said: “We are delighted to be the first food retailer in the six years of these awards to win one of the major categories.
“The film uses the Co-op brand principle of ‘nothing made up’ and allows the audience to follow the story of Tilimuqui through the eyes of the community and their experiences.”
She added: “By highlighting the positive impact that buying Fairtrade has on communities around the world, the film closes by acknowledging that this transformation is not only happening in Argentina but also throughout the UK.
“We are committed to the communities in which we trade and the communities we serve. The purpose of this film is to highlight that every time you choose products like our Fairtrade wine, you’re not only helping communities like Tilimuqui but you’re also helping communities in the UK.”
